Pulmonary histoplasmosis is often misdiagnosed as or coinfected with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). This study aims to analyze the misdiagnosis or co-occurrence of published cases of pulmonary TB and pulmonary histoplasmosis. Cases of histoplasmosis with dissemination were excluded, as it affects other organs. Systematic research was conducted using PubMed, EBSCOhost, ProQuest, BioRxiv, and MedRxiv databases. Twenty-seven articles were included, covering a total of 51 cases. Males were predominantly affected, with a median age of 54 years. Exposure to caves and farming occupations were identified as the primary sources of infection (61.9%). The most common clinical symptoms were fever (80%) and cough (82.5%). Laboratory tests revealed culture positivity in 77.1% of cases, with sputum being the most frequently used specimens. In proven pulmonary histoplasmosis, antibody tests were positive in 18 out of 24 cases. Chest X-rays commonly showed cavities, infiltrates, and nodules, with an increase in nodular pattern in recent cases. The number of pulmonary nodules detected was higher on chest computed tomography (CT). Radiologic abnormality could occur in any lung region. This review suggests the potential for misdiagnosis and/or coinfection of pulmonary histoplasmosis and pulmonary TB. The combination of clinical suspicion, radiological findings, antibody and/or antigen testing could improve the diagnosis of pulmonary histoplasmosis.
30 April 2025 in Middle East Journal of Digestive Diseases
Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition characterized by recurring abdominal discomfort and irregular bowel movements. Currently, IBS diagnosis lacks specific radiological, biochemical, or endoscopic markers. Chromogranin A (CgA), a gastrointestinal protein, shows variation between patients with IBS and healthy controls. This study aimed to evaluate differences in CgA concentrations between these groups. Methods: This review was conducted in 2023 using the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. All observational research was retrieved from MEDLINE, EBSCO-Host, ScienceDirect, and ProQuest electronic databases using a predefined search strategy. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS), and meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager (RevMan) 5.4. Results: Nine out of 14 studies eligible for meta-analysis revealed significantly higher CgA cell density (P=0.0001) in all patients with IBS compared with controls. This difference persisted across colon regions (left: P=0.04, right: P=0.0009) and duodenum (P<0.00001). Subgroup analysis found no significant disparity in CgA cell density between diarrhea and constipation-predominant IBS within the duodenum or colon. Conclusion: CgA cell density showed trends toward IBS compared with control groups, with significant concentration differences found in the duodenum, left, and right colon. Therefore, current findings might offer a histopathological approach to confirm the IBS diagnosis.
Backgroud and Objective Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a significant complication of COVID-19 infection, with varied incidence rates globally. COVID-19 has exacerbated AKI cases, with a significant portion of patients experiencing kidney damage. This study investigates the prevalence and risk factors associated with AKI among COVID-19 patients in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia. Methods Data from 364 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a hospital in Semarang between March 2020 and September 2021 were analyzed. Statistical analysis using chi-square and logistic regression examined the relationship between AKI and its determinants, with p≤0.05 considered significant. Results The majority of patients were male, most had no prior medical conditions. Analysis indicated links between AKI and various factors like several physical and supportive examination results. Few comorbidities were found to increase the risk of AKI, followed also by abnormal vital signs except blood pressure, several elevated level of laboratory results, and radiologic pneumonia finding. Conclusion COVID-19 may harm the kidneys causing AKI. This study highlights the importance of history taking, examination, and laboratory monitoring to detect AKI in COVID-19 patients.